


Spinner's End Redux

by dexstarr



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Black Family, Drabble Sequence, Gen, Spinner's End
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-02 22:23:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10953930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dexstarr/pseuds/dexstarr
Summary: What happened before the chapter "Spinner's End" inHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.





	Spinner's End Redux

**Author's Note:**

> _Harry Potter_ is not mine and no profit is made from this work. Written for the LJ community [slytherin100](http://slytherin100.livejournal.com/). Challenge: #133: Wait.

Bellatrix, customarily the one in perpetual motion, chaos and confusion personified, watched bemusedly as Narcissa paced wildly about the drawing room. Her sister’s normally immaculate robes were mussed, her usually pale cheeks were flushed pink.  
  
"Calm down, Cissy."  
  
Blue eyes snapped at black. " _You? You're_ telling _me_ to calm down?"   
  
"If you've raised him as I'm sure you and Lucius have, then there's nothing to worry about." Bellatrix rose and stood in front of Narcissa. "You should be honored, Cissy. Draco understands the importance of being chosen by the Dark Lord."   
  
"You can't possibly understand, Bella. _You_ don't have children."  
  


* * *

 

  
  
Bellatrix laughed, a thin and cruel sound. “Any children of _mine_ would be elated to do the Dark Lord’s bidding.” Another wicked laugh, and she continued, “But as _I_ don’t have any, I will help Draco.”   
  
Narcissa jumped slightly, surprised by Bella’s offer. “You will not!” She sank into the chair her sister had vacated, hands clenched in her lap. “I’ll have to… yes… I’ll ask Severus. Elf! Cloak!”  
  
The loud _crack_ of the obedient house elf, carrying Narcissa’s cloak, didn’t quite cover Bella’s snarl of rage. “You will _not_ ask that… that traitor! Narcissa, wait and think about this!”   
  


* * *

 

  
  
Narcissa ignored her sister’s words as she directed the elf to put on her black traveling cloak, and to fetch matching leather gloves. She had made up her mind: now it was time to act.   
  
Bellatrix tried again. “Cissy, you need to stop, and think, and _wait_ , before you act. You _don’t_ want to anger the Dark Lord.”   
  
The pale blonde laughed, somewhat hysterically. “Do you realize the absurdity of _you_ telling _me_ to wait?” She began pacing again, nervously.   
  
Seeing her sister wasn’t in a reasoning mood, Bellatrix summoned an elf for her own cloak. “Now isn’t the time –”  
  


* * *

 

  
  
Bella’s sense of uneasiness grew as Narcissa charmed herself back to pristine perfection: fixing red eyes, disheveled hair, and twisted robes. “ _Think_ , Narcissa! Asking _Snape_ for help? What would your husband say?”   
  
But that, apparently, had been precisely the wrong thing to say, for her sister’s ice-blue eyes lit up frenetically. “Lucius would approve! Don’t shake your head at me, Bella, you know he would.”   
  
Bellatrix let out a growl of pure anger. If her sister wasn’t careful… the Dark Lord wasn’t known for his mercy… “You’re not supposed to –”  
  
 _Pop._  
  
Her sister was gone.  
  
“Damn it! Narcissa, WAIT!”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally written in July 2010.
> 
> Come visit me on [tumblr!](http://galacticcoyote.tumblr.com/)


End file.
